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All Locked Up

There isn’t much more that can be said about Joe Hill’s Locke and Key series but I wanted to throw in my own two cents. Joe Hill is a favorite in this household; we’ve met him a couple of times. Gabriel Rodriquez was the co-creator with Hill and they made an incredible duo.

The comics medium relies heavily on dialogue, with little exposition to move the plot forward. This can make it feel as if information is being thrown at you, or one character is simply the “questions” guy or the “answer” girl. The benefits comics have is the artwork to act as exposition and bridge what is unsaid. This doesn’t always work in sync between writer and artist. But when it does, you know. There is magic happening in the first issue between Hill and Rodriquez. They dropped a horrific story in our laps and made it even harder to watch by giving us characters that are immediately human. They made us feel for the characters in the space of a few panels and that’s not as easy as it may seem.

The dynamics of this duo wouldn’t have been quite as explosive with one missing. The series works as a whole because of Hill and Rodriquez collectively. It’s tough to say one is better than the other. If Hill had partnered with a different artist, his writing would have stood out; and if Rodriquez had partnered with a different writer, his art would have stood out. Their collaboration together was the perfect storm.

Locke and Key follows a family after tragedy strikes and changes the family dynamic. Mom moves her kids to her late husband’s family home, Keyhouse, as per his wishes. Not only is the family dealing with their grief, but they now are dealing with the strange goings on Keyhouse has to offer. And it’s not for the faint of heart. This whole series is brutal and gory and heart wrenching. Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode are fighting for their lives, they’re fighting for each other, their friends, and their sanity. It’s survival against supernatural foes who have been waiting decades and centuries for the chance to escape.

Locke and Key is a top notch story from Joe Hill and an artistic masterpiece from Gabriel Rodriquez. It’s a great beginning series for new comics readers. Hill’s writing is easy to follow while still providing complete storytelling and Rodriquez’s art is crisp with details that don’t become cluttered or overwhelming. I’m ashamed it took me so long to read it but I hope you won’t wait much longer to read Locke and Key.